Head gate for irrigation ditches



1947. R. B. BLACKMORE 2 HEAD GATE FOR IRRIGATION DITCHES Filed Sept. 15, 1945 i '4' 4' Inventor /f" RZJerZ B.B7ac7(mo/-e A By Patented Feb. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATN arias 1. Claim.

This invention relates to a headgate for an irrigation ditch, and it is one object of the invention to provide a headgate which is formed of sheet metal and angle iron and is light in weight but quite strong. It will thus be seen that the improved headgat-e may be easily oar-.

ried from one place to another and that when it is installed in an irrigation ditch it will be strong and not liable to be easily bent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a headgate wherein a sheet metal body carries strips of angle iron disposed vertically along opposite side edges of an opening through which water flows when the gate is open, the vertically disposed angle iron strips constituting guides for a closure plate by means of Which the closure may be closed and having portions extending downwardly from the sheet metal body and tapered at their lower ends so that they may be very easily driven or pushed into the ground at the bottom of a ditch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a headgate so formed that it may be very easily pulled upwardly out of a ditch and replaced in another location.

Another object of the invention is to provide a headgate of this character which is of such construction that a screen may be applied to it in order to prevent game fish, such as trout, or-

the like, from entering an irrigation ditch from a river or other stream of water with which an irrigation ditch communicates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a headgate which is simple in construction and capable of being manufactured at low cost.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved irrigation ditch and headgate.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the improved headgate.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken vertically throggh the headgate along line 3-3 of Figure Figure 4 is a view of the screen which may be applied to prevent fish from entering an irrigation ditch.

Figure 5 is an end view of the headgate.

This improved headgate for an irrigation ditch has a body I which may be formed of sheet steel, plywood, molded castings, or any other suitable material. Vertically extending strips or uprights 2 which may be formed of angle metal are riveted or otherwise secured against the up-stream face of the sheet metal body I,

along opposite side edges of an opening 3 formed midway the width of the body. This opening 3 terminates in spaced relation to the lower edge of the body I and in order to reinforce the body below the opening 3, there has been provided a cross strip 4 which is also formed of angle metal.

The upper edge portion of the body is reinforced by a strip 5 of angle metal of such length that it extends the full width of the body and serves very effectively to prevent the body from being bent. This strip 5 also serves as a reinforcement for upper end portions ofthe uprights or standards 2.

Referring particularly to Figure 2', it will be seen that lower portions of the strips of angle metal 2 extend downwardly below the lower edge of the body I to provide legs 2' terminating in tapered lower ends 6. Therefore, the legs will have sharpened lower ends and they may be very easily forced downwardly into the bottom of an irrigation ditch or driven downwardly when their upper ends are struck with a hammer. The corners l of the sheet metal body have been cut diagonally so that the body will conform somewhat to the cross-sectional shape of an irrigation ditch and also cause the body to taper downwardly so that it may be easily forced downwardly into the walls and bottom of the ditch.

When the headgate is in use, it is disposed transversely of an irrigation ditch and forced downwardly by pressure or by blows struck against upper ends of the standard 2 until the sheet metal body is disposed across the ditch as a barrier. Water from the river or other stream from which the irrigation ditch leads flows through the opening 3. In order to control flow of water through the opening 3, there has been provided a closure plate 8 of suflicient height to entirely block the opening when in a lowered position. This closure is of such width that it will fit between the uprights 2 sufliciently loosely to allow the closure to be readily slid vertically from a fully lowered or closed position in which it rests upon the cross strip i to a partially or fully opened position. A handle 9 is carried by the closure plate and projects upwardly therefrom such a distance that it may be easily grasped by its bridge portion and the closure plate drawn upwardly to an opened position or thrust downwardly toward a closed position. In view of the fact that the closure plate is at the up-stream side of the headgate, pressure of Water attempting to enter an irrigation ditch will press the plate toward the headgate and cause a tight fit between confronting surfaces of edge portions of the closure plate and flanges of the uprights 22. When the closure plate is shifted to a raised or lowered position, it should be secured against accidental downward movement, and in order to do so there have been provided latches l0, each of which consists of a disk H having a handle extension 12. An eccentrically located opening is formed through the disk H to receive a pin l3 by means of which the latch is pivotally mounted and by grasping the handle 12 the disk ll may be turned about the pin 13 and moved to a position in which it has gripping engagement with the closure plate or to a position in which it is out of contact with the closure plate. It will thus be seen that the closure plate may be securedin a fully closed position or in a fully or partially open position.

In certain localities, streams from which water for irrigating purposes is obtained are stocked with fish and laws require that these fish be kept out of irrigation ditches. In order to do so, there has been provided a screen 14 formed of strong wire mesh. This screen is bordered by a frame 15 of such dimensions that when it is placed between the uprights 2, it will block the opening 3 and prevent fish from entering an irrigation ditch through the opening 3. Openings (6 are formed through outstanding side fiangesof the uprights and when pins 11 pass through these openings with portions engaging marginal por-' tions of the screen, the screen will be firmly held in place and fish very effectively prevented from entering the irrigation ditch. When it is necessary to clean the screen, it is merely necessary to lift the screen from the pins and the screen may be easily cleaned and replaced or a new screen set in place if necessary, it being understood that the closure plate 8 will be moved to a closed position during this cleaning operation in order that fish will be prevented from passing through the opening 3 while the screen is being cleaned.

When the headgate is to be driven into extremely dry or rocky ground it is diflicult to do so and there may therefore be provided driving caps which engage upper ends of the bars 2.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawing. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

What is claimed is:

A headgate for an irrigation ditch which includes a plate having its bottom edge shaped to conform to the general contour of an irrigation ditch, said plate having a rectangular gate opening entering upper edge midway between its ends, an angle bar secured to the upstream side of the body adjacent each side edge of the gate opening, each angle bar extending below the bottom edge of the plate to form anchors which enter the bed of an irrigation ditch, an angle bar extending transversely between the first mentioned angle bars against the bottom edge of the rectangular opening, the flanges of the angle bars which lie parallel to the plate being disposed toward their respective edges of the gate opening with the perpendicular flanges of aid bars forming a frame of slightly greater dimensions than those of the gate opening, a reinforcing cross bar attached'to the downstream side of the plate adjacent its upper edge and extending across the gate opening in spaced parallel relation to the bottom thereof, a gate mounted to slide vertically in the frame between the perpendicular flanges of the angle bars at the sides of the gate opening, and an eccentric pivoted adjacent the upper end of each perpendicular flange of each angle bar at the side of the gate opening for cooperation with the parallel flanges in retaining the gate in the frame and holding said gate in various adjusted positions with relation to the bottom edge of said opening.

ROBERT B. BLACKMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 337,819 Dill Mar. 16, 1886 334,267 Crowley Oct. 30, 1906 967,007 Fogg Aug. 9, 1910 1,027,903 Robertson May 28, 1912 1,161,997 Thompson Nov. 30, 1915 1,379,137 Syes May 24, 1921 1,968,743 Christofiersen July 31, 1934 2,111,819 Skow Mar. 22, 1938 

